Apparatus for pottery appendaging



Nov. 29, 1949 Y W. J. MlLLER APPARATUS FOR POTTERY APPENDAGING Original Filed March l, 1929 .J W y w 5 .fm k mk\ 4 WmW/.\\w 5 2m j. w w Aw u. n. Ipi

Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR POTTERY APPENDAGING William J. Miller, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Miller Pottery Engineering Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania 4 Claims. 1 This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 13,683, filed March 29, 1935 which is a division of my U. S. Patent 2,046,525, said patent being in turn a continuation in part of my U. S. Patent 1,838,277. It has to do with pottery appendaging apparatus.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a transverse, vertical sectional view of a partble appendage mold.

Figure 2 is a view taken on line II-II of Figure 1.

The appendaging unit, used for automatically applying handles and like appendages to the Ware is generally indicated by the numeral l in the drawings and is shown in detail in Figures 1 and 2. The appendage mold is formed in two sections or parts 54a, 54h, which are of similar construction, these parts being normally closed at the joint 54o, only one of said parts being shown in section in Figure 1. The sections 54a and 54h have limited sliding movement in a frame 54d, said frame having a detachable cover 54d' formed with a ware-positioning seat which is preferably faced with felt or some similar substance, to cornpensate for shrinkage and prevent marring of the ware deposited therein. The sections 54a and 5417 may be of any suitable material, preferably noncorrosive, and in the abutting portions thereof are cut away to receive and retain the two halves of a supplemental mold 54e which is of porous material and constitutes the mold per se in which the handle or appendage is formed, the two halves of this mold 54e also joining at 54e when the sections are in closed position. The recesses for the porous halves or sections of the mold per se are V-shaped, so that by removing the cover 54d', said mold may be removed and replaced by a mold for any desired appendage.

The frame 54d in line with the joint 54o is formed with a guide block 54], which assists in guiding and positioning the sections 54a and 54h when closing, and the bottom of said frame is shaped to center on a vertically movable spotting chuck 62, which is show n in section in Figure 1. Vertical movement 4 of thespottingA chuck may be eected as shown and described in my parent application. Each of the sections 54a and 5417 is bored or recessed to form a cylinder 54g, in which a relatively stationary piston 54h is mounted, said piston being provided with an exteriorlythreaded stem 542' which is formed with a bore 54o and threaded into the side of the frame 54d and secured by a nut 547', the cylinder walls being interiorly threaded for removable application of a sealing head 54k.

The cylinder walls are formed with two annular spotting or positioning grooves 541 and the piston 54h is diametrically bored to receive a ball and spring detent assembly, the balls 2, which are pressed outwardly by a spring 3, registering with the grooves when the sections 54a and 54h reciprocate, to thereby resiliently retain said sections in their alternate positions.

The mold sections 54a and 54h together with the respective halves of the appendage or handle mold 54e are adapted to be alternately retracted from abutting relation or parted and moved together by means of valve controlled sub and super-atmospheric pressure, which is applied through the spotting chucks 62', see Figure 1.

Preliminary to the retracting operation, it is preferred to impregnate the porous mold 54e with super-atmosphere, to thus ensure prompt release of the Ware from the mold when the retracting pressure is applied. There are, two independent hose connections shown, and two normally independent air passages 54m and 541i leading into and branching oi in the mold sections 54a and 54h and mold 54e, the operating pressure being applied through the passage 5in and the impregnating atmospheric pressure, which is not limited to super-atmosphere but may be any desired treating medium or i'luid, applied through the passage 54m. The bore or passage 54o in the piston stem is connected with the passage 5471. by a hose or analogous member 54p, and is also connected with the passage 62a formed in the' spotting chuck 62. The passage 62a connects with an air line leading to a control valve. The passage 54m registers with a passage 62h also formed in the chuck 62 and connecting with an air line also leading to one of said valves. The passage 54m branches off and terminates in chambers 54q formed in the sections 54a and 54D on each side of the mold 54e, and also branches off into the piston chamber, this latter branch passage being used when it is desired to use the passage 54m for applying both the impregnating pressure and operating pressure and is adiustably closed in the present instance by a threaded plug 54m2. .The chambers 54q, only one of which is visible, communicate with branch passages formed in the sections 54e of the mold and terminating at the joint of the latter. The branch of the passage 54m leading to the chamber 54q may be adjusted through the medium of a screw plug 54m3, and communication to the chuck passage 62h may be closed by a screw plug 54m4, these `plugs being inserted in each section 54a and 54h.

The passage 54m also branches off and opens out er s in the side of the mold, see Figure 2, which branch is shown closed by a screw plug Edm.

When it is desired to apply fluid pressure from anothensourceinstead of through the chuck passagef62b,jfthefbranch passager-leading to'. 6.21) is closed and the plug '54m5 replaced by a hose nipple. The bore 54o in the piston stem 5M tern minates in the cylinder 54g on either side of the piston 54h, depending upon the positionof ascreW plug 54o', thi-s plug being shownin the side of said stem, the sections beingyretracted `ini-the present instance by sub-atmosphei'czfpressure and closed by super-atmospheric pressure, whereas, if the plug 540 Were inserted lin' theendjofV said section, this action WOuldbe-reversed..'.To ensure communication With.'` thermald cavity fof the porous mold 54e, the abutting surfaces 'of the respective halves of the latter are groovedlaszat 541', to provide vents leading to the mold cavity.

VThe appendaeing `.units I.v are carr-iedlbrtrays 39 formed fas. parto. a. conveyor: ,thatismoved intermittently. to Carrythetrays l39 and, the appendaging units `fromstation to station, thatlm is to:say. from amold flume ,station to amoldropening and emptying,station, as Well asother. stations-.Which are more .particularly describedjn the parent application..

- A t themold llings tation theCavity 150 'ofthe appendaging untislledWithliquidsliplclayby meansof. anY automatic, Charger which Ais ,illlly described in. the. parent application. 2 A cup C to be appendaeed ;.isth.en V.automatieally 'placed Aon the were -reeeirine surface i :thelmcldl 'alLaS described complete. detakmthe. parent.. application.

V- l Afterthe warehas been. nlacedon the mold.; the ware, and, moldr are,transported toA a/location or locations Where `the v.operations Aof, openinggthe mold and Iremoving the.. waremare` performed. During the interval the wareand moldaretravel- 40 lemptying :and mold JOlliening locations. The

means of connectingY the appendaging unit with sources 4of fluid supply, or-vacuum takesA the form 'of the chuck '62f hereinbefore mentioned.

The passage of air under pressure or Various fluid mediums or thecreationjof vacuum inY either oneof these passages, is controlled automatically as disclosed in, my parentapplication. However, the operation is such that when a tray bearing any appendaging unit reaches either a mold lling or mold emptying position, a chuck -62..is moved into COOperationwith the appendaging` unit and fluid or vacuum automatically applied t0 theappendaging unit for the: purposes hereinbefore described. lware'pins for centering the frame 54d on tray39.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for appendaging potteryvvare comprising, a frame formed with a seat, a support for the frame, an appendage mold carried 5 ".byfsaid frame .and formed 'of separable parts, uid operated means including cylinders and Apistons for actuating said separable parts of said --mold, uid passages leading from said cylinders Y to einletsiin said. seat, a vertically-movable chuck for lifting the frame from the support having a seat for cooperation with the frame seat, and

v-fluil passa-gesleadi-ng through said chuck having outlets arranged to register with said inlets, when .'lthe; chuck israised. l5 ZnApparatusrffor appendaging potteryware,

comprising a'framehaving a bottom portion provided-With a 'chuck-engaging seat, a support for theframe, a separable appendage mold carried by said frame, fluid pressure `operated means for gn opening andlclosingsaiid mold, conduits leading from. saidiiuid .pressure operated means to inlets .in the. bottom portion 'of the frame, and a verticallyrmovable chuck having a seat for engaging saidArarne and having.'l fluid .conduits leading to 2.1 outlets in saidchuck seat, vertical movements of said chuck being effective to lifttheframe from the. supportl andblng said Outlets of the chuck into register with said i'nletsrof the frame.

3,-.Pottery. ,appendaging .apparatus comprising, 39 a movable support, a frame carried by saidsupportandprovided with achuckseat, a` separable appendage .mold. 1o1 .n1edof-.sectunsJ carried `by the frame, a.chucksverticallymovable into aposi- 'r tion fbelowtheirame-seat and. to. lift the frame from thevsupportfair Qperated means for actuating Vsaid mold s.ections,.-and conduits in said frame and; saidlchuck arranged to lregister with .each otherwWhenthe-,frame is lifted from the support by-thechuck for supplying A,air to said air operatedrmeans.

.4; -In apparatus-fof?thelclassfspecied, the combination with aqvertically .movable-chuck formed with air4 passages, of. airframe;v a partable mold in the frame for -forminggzappendages comprising yseparable mold. sections each provided interiorly With a'chambenpistons: mounted in said chambers `and connected tothe frame in stationary positions, said mold-sectionszbeing provided With 59 air@passages::whichflregster with the passages formedl in. said :chuckf when .the chuckis'vmoved into engagement Withlthe: mold; andV means for applyingsuband supereatmospheric pressure Vto said chambers-throughesaid passages to openand 55 close'- the mold.

J MILLER.

REFERENCES, ,CITED The following. references `are of record in the le .of' thisV patent:

UNITED STATES; PATENTS Number Name Date 1,838,277 'Miller fDec; 29, 1931 2,946,525 Miller July 7, 1936 Certcate of Correction Patent No. 2,489,7oe November 29, 1949 WILLIAM J. MILLER It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 4, line 65, list of references cited, for the patent number 2,946,525 read 2,046,525; Y and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the cese in the Patent Oiice.

Signed and sealed this 18th day of April, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Oommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

